Strong Enough
by Jack E. Peace
Summary: While enjoying an almost stress-free day atop Crossroads Mall, Terry learns something that he isn't quite sure he's strong enough to deal with. (Bad summary, sorry)


Disclaimer: None of the characters from the movie belong to me, everyone else does. 

A/N: Okay, not that anyone cares but I'm mad and I hate my computer (this is something Chase knows very well), mainly right now because it just deleted the story that you're about the read. Well, the first draft of this story, anyway. The only thing keeping me from throwing my computer across the room and laughing as it shatters into pieces is the fact that I might be able to recreate this story. If it's not very good, it's because second drafts never are. Anyway, I hope it's good enough for my loyal readers so please review and enjoy. 

The sun was high and sweltering in the sky even though it wasn't yet noon and the survivors that had made Crossroads Mall their safe haven were out enjoying the weather. Ana was sitting in the lawn chair she had dragged from Sports N' More, flipping through a magazine and filing her nails, enjoying the way the gentle breeze felt against her cheeks. Being outside, even with those creatures below, was always a welcome change from being cooped up in the mall day and night. 

As she filed, Ana watched Michael and Terry play volleyball against Norma, the truck driver, and Tucker, who didn't act like his sprained ankle bothered him any longer. Every so often, Terry would miss one of the easier shots aimed his way because he was too preoccupied watching Nicole, who was sunbathing in a powder blue bikini on a towel and pretending that she didn't notice that Terry was staring at her. 

Toward the corner of the roof, Kenneth and Steve were involved in a game of their own, picking out celebrity-look-alikes for Andy, who owned the gun shop across the street, to shoot. Steve laughed heartily and shouted a congratulates across to Andy after he managed to blow the head off a creature that looked surprisingly like Bill Murray. 

Ana rolled her eyes and muttered, "Troubled childhoods." She flipped a page in her magazine and continued to file her nails. 

"Heads up!" Michael shouted and Ana looked over at him, narrowly avoiding getting hit in the head with the volleyball. The ball landed harmlessly in her lap and she picked it up, tossing to back to the players as hard as she could. The ball hit Terry, who hadn't even noticed that the ball was missing since he was too busy watching Nicole spread lotion across her tanning legs, square in the head. He looked surprised by the blow, glancing around as though trying to figure out just where the ball had come from. 

"Sorry." Ana called and tried not to laugh. If Terry made his growing love for Nicole any clearer, he would be painting it on the side of the building. 

Another gun shot cracked through the air as Andy took out on of the creatures -this one looking like Ben Afflect if you closed one eye and squinted the other- and Steve laughed again. "He's great." The man smiled as he downed another shot of bourbon. Beside him, Kenneth chuckled in agreement. 

The door leading up to the roof banged open as Monica, the curly blonde who was often unsocial and disappeared for hours on end, joined them on the roof, also dressed in a skimpy bikini. Judging by the towel in her hands, she'd had the same idea Nicole did and when she noticed the redhead already peacefully sunning on her towel, she frowned. For reasons unknown to everyone else, Nicole and Monica hated each other with a passion usually reserved for the creatures below but only Monica would go out of her way to make sure that everyone knew her feelings toward the redhead. Now was one of those times. As she headed over to where Nicole was laying, she kicked bits of gravel onto the girl's stomach, not even bothering to make it look like an accident. "Oops, sorry." Monica apologized, voice dripping with sarcasm, when Nicole bolted upright and glared at the blonde. 

Nicole glared at Monica as she laid out her own towel, only feet away from where she lay, reminding herself that she was above such childish games. As she mentally plotted the revenge she would hopefully one day have on the girl, the volleyball sailed through the air and hit Monica in the head. "Ow!" She cried, looking over at the court. 

Terry jogged over to retrieve the ball. "Sorry Monica." He apologized, a completely serious look upon his face. "The ball just got away from me." He picked up the ball, turning to look at Nicole and winking at her before heading back toward the makeshift court. 

Ana watched the whole exchange and rolled her eyes once again, shaking her head good-naturedly. It was comforting to see that, despite everything, sometimes it was easy to pretend that things were normal. Shutting her magazine, she leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes and letting the sun radiate against her cheeks. She enjoyed the way the breeze teased her hair and for a moment, she was simply Ana, the nurse and wife, once again. 

"Terry!" Tucker's voice was filled with disappointment more then anger and Ana opened her eyes again. The first thing she noticed was that the volleyball had disappeared.

"Sorry, it was an accident." Terry apologized and Ana realized what had happened. He had served the ball right over the edge of the roof and into the sea of creatures below. The four players headed over to the edge to peer downward. 

Nicole and Ana joined them, filled with an unknown curiosity, peering downward. All the creatures were still shuffling around aimlessly, with the exception of one, who lay on the ground, twitching, with the volleyball resting beside its head. 

Ana clapped Terry on the back. "Nice shot." She remarked before turning and heading back toward her lawn chair. 

Terry continued to stare downward, a frown crossing his face; Nicole noticed this look when she looked over at him and knew it had nothing to do with the loss of the ball. "Terry? What's the matter?" She questioned. 

For a moment, Terry didn't answered, continuing to stare downward, seeming to stare at nothing in particular. Nicole followed his gaze and saw that he was staring at a single creature, shuffling around in circles, its decaying hair the same color as Terry's. "Terry, what-" She began again but he cut her off. 

"That's my brother." Terry mumbled, his voice heavy and almost lifeless. "The one I told you about, that's him." 

Nicole turned to look at the creature again, this time with more concentration and, suddenly, she could see the resemblance between the two of them; they had the same build, the same hair color and complexion and she could see the beginnings of the same face, aside from the fact that the left side of the creature's face had been torn almost completely off. 

"Terry, I'm sorry." Nicole whispered and put her hand over Terry's, more then surprised when he pulled away from her, just as she had done so many times with him. He didn't look at her, continuing to look at his lifeless, corpse-of-a-brother. 

Tucker looked over at them. "Which one's your brother, kid?" He questioned, voice uncharacteristically soft and concerned. 

Wordlessly, Terry pointed toward his ambling brother. Tucker and Michael looked at the creature but said nothing. A shot rang out once more and caused all four of them to jump; the bullet fired from Andy's gun hit Terry's brother in the forehead, shattering its skull and sending the creature crumpling to the ground. Surprised, Terry looked up at Andy, who was already setting up for another shot; he realized that the man must have confused his pointing with the signal to shoot, still following the 'game' he had been playing with Steve and Kenneth. 

Nicole looked away from the now dead corpse and over at Terry, the pain in his eyes was obvious. She didn't know what to say, so she reached for him again but he backed up before she could make contact. 

Without a word, he headed for the door that led back to the mall, ignoring Ana's question about what was bothering him. Terry realized that he was strong enough to deal with the others pain, with their losses that hit close to home for them but had no affect on him. But when it came to his own family, his own pain, he simply wasn't strong enough. 


End file.
